Envelop.



P. HARI.

ENVBLOP.

APPLICATION I'ILED DEO.8.1913.

Patented July 21, 1914,

I a m o N a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL HARI, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, .TO OREGON ENVELOPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OREGON. I

-ENVELOP.

To all 10710172 it may concern Be it known that 1, PAUL HARI, citizen of'the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Portland, in the county of -Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto, envelops of the kind particularly adapted for inclosing letters or papers, and pertains more especially to the provision of means for effecting the opening thereof.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an envelop which may be readily opened without having to resort to the use of means 'or devices foreign thereto, the structure for effecting this result being embodied in the envelop itself.

A further object of this invention is to provide an envelop of the above described character which may be cheaply manufac tured, the opening means employed being capable of incorporation into the envelop as it is manufactured and without the necesposition the opening means in'the envelop that it will not become entangled or interfere with the operation of cancelling machines.

A still further object -of this invention is to so construct the envelop that the opening means may be readily attached thereto in position before the blank is pasted, such construction also serving to effectually secure said means in the finished envelop. And a still further object of the invention is to generally improve and increase the efficiency of devices of the above described character.

,thread in position thereon before posting of the blank. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of my invention. I k h Corresponding and like parts are referred surfaces.

. Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December s, 1913. Serial No. 805,389.

Patented July 21, 1914.

to in the following description and indicated n all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an envelop-blank which includes a side flap 2, back flap 3, which, preferably, is substantially rectangular, end flaps 4, which, preferably, are also substantially rectangular in shape, and a sealing flap 5. Secured within the envelop between the inner face of the side flap and the inner face of one end flap and extending transversely thereof, is a cuttingthread or string 6.

am aware that such means have previously been employed to effect the opening of envelops, but usually the string has been so arranged upon the envelop as to be not easily or ordinarily observed by the person receiving the envelop and therefore fails in its intended purpose. Furthermore, to place the strin in the envelop as heretofore manufacture has been found to so increase the cost thereof, owing to the difliculty of retaining the string in position prior to initial pasting, as to make the use of this type of. envelop exceedingly limited. The string has also not been effectually secured to the envelop resulting in its disengagement therefrom without the accomplishment of the object intended. To overcome these disadvantages, I

have arranged the cutting thread'6 within one end flap, as stated, and closely against the fold thereof, the'upper extremity of the string being looped to define a retaining portion 7 which extends over theupper edge 8 of the flap and diagonally across the outer face toward the side thereof where it issecured between the adhering gummed faces of the end and side flaps, the angular disposition of said retaining portion insuring that the thread will extend well Within the gum The free end 9 of the thread 6 is designed-to project beyond the lower edge of the envelop opposite the mouth thereof where it may be easily grasped for operation. It should be observed that in thus disposing the cutting thread within the envelop, the free end thereof cannot be obscured in the sealing operation, adifiiculty heretofore experienced with envelops of similar character. Furthermore, the free end .of the thread is so disposed as to not interfere with post-age aflixing or canceling,

machines, an advantage clearly obvious.

To openthe envelop the free end 9 of the cutting thread should be gras ed and an upward pull exerted thereo when the thread will be caused to out or ver thev portion forming the end of the envelop along the line of the fold. Attention is here called to the fact that any stress tending to disengage the fixed end of the cutting thread from the 7 ingly provided for the fixed terminal of the thread. However, the retaining portion 7 owing to its angular disposition will be in alinement with the line of pull upon the thread after the envelop has been opened and consequently -will be readily disengaged to entirely free said thread there from.

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated a modified form of my invetnion in which one end flap 4 ha formed in its vertical ed e, near the upper end thereof, an inwardly irected and outwardly extending V-shaped notch 10. Said notch is designed to aline with the angular direction of the retaining portion 11 and is adapted to engage the extremity 12 thereof. In the manufacture of the envelop, one extremity of the cutting thread may be inserted inthe notch when an inward pull willserve to effect en agement therewith. The thread may then %8 positioned about the end flap where it will be held in place pending the pasting of the blank. Furthermore, this notch serves to more efiectually secure the retaining portion 11 to the envelop. Such engagement, however, will not prevent the ready disengagement of the thread by the same movement re uired to open the end of the envelop. In ig. 3, I have also illustrated a further modification of my invention consisting in sinuously dis osing that portion of the cutting thread ying within the end flap, as shown at 13. In this construction only a small portion of the thread constituting the free end 14 will project from -the envelop, a sli ht down-- ward pull thereon being su cient to strai hten the sinuously disposed portion of the t read resulting in a lengthening of the free end which may then be readily grasped to open the envelop.

Having thu described the invention, what is claimed as new is y 1. In an envelop.having an end flap and a back fia adhering to the face of one extremity of the end flap, a cutting thread positioned within the fold of the end flap, one extremity of the thread being looped over one edgebf the end flap and extending diagonally of the outer face thereof the portion looped'over terminating adjacent the free side edge of the flap and being secured between the adhering ummed faces of the end and back flap the rec end of the thread projecting beyond the opposite edge of the envelop. and forming a freeterminal. V

2. In an envelop having an end flap and a back flap adhering thereto, a sinuously disposed cuttingJthread positionedwithin the end flap, one extremity of the thread being secured to the envelop and the opposite extremity thereof extending to form a free terminal.

3. In an envelop having an end fiap'and a back ap adhering to the face of'one .extremity of the end flap, a cutting thread positioned within the end flap and being sinuously disposed'throughout a portion of its length, one extremity of the thread being looped over one end edge of the end flap to extend diagonally of the upper extremity thereof and being secured between the adhering gummed faces of the side and end flap, an inwardly directed obliquely disposed V-shaped slot formed in the free edge of the end flap, and arranged to engage the extremity of the looped over portion of the thread, the free end of the thread projecting beyond the opposite edge of the envelop and forming a free terminal. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

PAUL HARI. Witnesses 

